Chapter 782
Chapter 782:
Bonita, her cheeks burning, whispered defensively, “That’s not the case. I am his girlfriend.”
The old man sighed, shaking his head as he pointed at Bonita. “You’re going to regret this!”
The young pair found themselves at a loss for words.
“Follow my advice or don’t, it’s your choice. But you’ll realize the truth eventually.” Dismissing the situation with a wave of his hand, he began to walk away. “The world’s standards are slipping.”
Neal, still holding the pillow, looked like a confused child caught between amusement and embarrassment.
The outburst from the old man had unexpectedly eased the tension, and a somewhat relaxed silence fell over the room.
“You just admitted that you’re my girlfriend,” Neal said, arching an eyebrow and giving Bonita a half-smile. “Are you done with the pretenses?”
Bonita bit her lip, the futility of her charade crashing down on her like a house of cards in a strong wind.
The cat wasn’t just out of the bag—it had clawed its way into the open and paraded itself around, especially after her slip-up with the old man about being Neal’s girlfriend.
Trying to salvage her dignity, she changed the subject. “When did you find out?”
Neal leaned back, his gaze steady. “A long time ago. Remember that dish of potato and beef brisket?”
Bonita’s stomach twisted at the memory.
How could she possibly forget? Every detail tied to Neal was etched into her mind.
It was shortly after they had established their online connection that they happened to meet at a small restaurant. She had eagerly mirrored Neal’s order—spicy pork chops—only to nearly set her mouth ablaze. Her roommate had taken pity, swapping her dish for Bonita’s reckless choice.
Back then, she had created what she believed was an airtight story to tell Neal in order to conceal her identity. But Neal had teased her, saying he’d spotted a girl demolishing a plate of potato and beef brisket, nose running, eyes brimming with unshed tears—even though the dish was as mild as a morning breeze.
𝗧𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 g⍺𝗅𝗇𝗈ν𝗍𝖊𝗅𝘀﹐ⅽ𝗼𝗺
“You knew back then?” Her emotions surged like an unexpected tide. “All along?”
“That day, I only had my suspicions,” Neal admitted. “But when I got back, I checked your IP address. Didn’t you send me a link? When I traced it, it led straight to Luminary University. That was when I knew for sure.”
Bonita exhaled sharply.
For a moment, words escaped her. So he had known for that long.
“Then… why did you keep chatting with me online?” She frowned, her voice barely above a whisper. “You knew it was me all along, yet you still played along?”
Neal tilted his head, amusement flickering in his eyes. “Why wouldn’t I?”
“Didn’t you hate me back then?”
A chuckle rumbled in his throat. “When did I ever say that I hated you?”
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